Worksheet
Curated OER

Giants of American Music

For Students 2nd - 3rd
In this music learning exercise, students match a description with the following composers: George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, John Philip Sousa, Leonard Bernstein. Students also reflect on why they are called Giants of American Music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Music of the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine protest music and songs from the Civil Rights movement. In this music of the Civil Rights era lesson plan, students listen to selected music before working in groups to determine who the music was directed at, what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Folklife and Folklore

For Teachers K - Higher Ed
Student examine the basic characteristics of folklore. In this folklore lesson, students complete activities to identify two kinds of folk, folk groups, and folklife. Students list daily activities in their home, identify folk groups...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Caribbean Music-- An Introduction

For Students 4th - 5th
In this music worksheet, students investigate the history of music and the musical style of the Caribbean islands. Students read a 1 page information sheet about the region and its music. Students answer 8 questions.
Lesson Plan
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Writing Lyrics

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the themes and structure of a bluegrass song and identify the common themes in bluegrass music. They practice songwriting by rewriting the lyrics of "Oh! Susanna" as a bluegrass tune.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Indian Music

For Students 6th - 10th
In this Indian music learning exercise, students read an article, bullet points, and a graphic organizer pertaining to Indian music and respond to 7 short answer questions and complete 1 extension activity.
Lesson Plan
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Early Jazz

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students gain an understanding of early jazz. They study Dixieland and the Roaring Twenties. They examine the American historical significance and cultural implications of early jazz.
Unit Plan
Ms. Effie's Lifesavers

Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man in the Spotlight

For Students 11th - 12th Standards
Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is the most frequently cited novel for the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition Open Response Question. Those new to using the book and and veterans as well will find the teaching strategies, the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Use of Fieldwork

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students transcribe, analyze, and archive fieldwork and create a team project drawn from fieldwork. They brainstorm a list of reasons why preservation of collected materials is important and explore the online archives of the American...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Langston Hughes and the Blues

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the connections between Langson Hughes and blues music. For this African American culture lesson, students compare and contrast blues music with poetry and short stories by Langston Hughes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buffalo Soldiers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the role of the buffalo soldiers. In this African American history lesson, students research the African American soldiers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Students discuss their findings and compose songs that...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Indian Music

For Students 5th - 6th
In this music worksheet, students discover facts about India's musical history and culture. Students read informative paragraphs and answer 7 questions about India's history and music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz in America Lesson Plan 6

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students survey bebop, cool jazz, and hard bop. They explore how bebop, cool jazz, and hard bop reflected American culture and society in the 1940s and 1950s.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz in America Lesson Plan 7

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students survey free jazz and fusion. They explore how free jazz and fusion reflected American culture and society in the 1960s and 1970s.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folk Traditions in the Blues

For Teachers All
Click here to download a PDF of this lesson. (2.8 MB) Overview This lesson will enable teachers to use the blues to explore selected topics in African American folklore. Students will learn about some of the African American cultural...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Port of Entry

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research patterns of immigration throughout American history. The focus is on the process of how immigrants came through Ellis Island. Students reflect upon the topic to develop critical thinking skills.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folk Art In Response to Folk Music

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners respond to the song, "This Land is Your Land" in writing and create an original painting in the style of folk art. They identify the characteristics of folk art and identify how the works of folk artists reflect the culture of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America - Episode 3: Can I Get A Witness

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners identify many genres of music that influenced gospel and study examples of gospel music. They explain that gospel music is sacred and is usually performed with sincerity, dignity, and passion with vocal improvisation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music in America - Episode 3: Can I Get A Witness: Lesson 2

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students watch a video on spiritual music, then engage in a discussion about the artists and styles mentioned in the video. They discuss vocal improvisation, and engage in a call and response to "This Little Light Of Mine.'
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rockin’ the World: Rock and Roll and Social Protest in 20th Century America

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars explore protest songs. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, students examine issues-based music by summarizing lyrics and revealing inferences, generalizations, conclusions, and points of view found in the songs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz In America - Lesson Plan 8

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the current jazz scene and how it reflects American culture. They listen to jazz recordings of current artists and speculate on which direction jazz is likely heading.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz in America

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore the Swing Era and its implications. They answer questions and listen to music from the era.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz in America

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore Jazz in America. They examine greats in Jazz, such as Duke Ellington. They are also to discuss the cultural implications of the music itself.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz in America

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore the Jazz of today and its future. They answer questions and listen to music.

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